Best affordable torque wrench?

Looking for the best torque wrench for low torque applications ~ like starting around 10lbs or so.... are there any out there less than $50 that are reliable?

We tested my cheapo harbor freights vs expensive snap ons. They were actually pretty accurate. They're not PRECISION, but you're withing 1 to 2 lb ft. They're more accurate than the old ones that had the sliding arrow for sure. Not bad for like 20 bucks, I use them on my cars a lot.

If you don't mind paying 80 instead of 20, Harbor Freight has a "ICON" brand that has been reviewed in Youtube a few times, and has beat snap on in precision a few times. I went with a cheap model in amazon and paid $20.

I have not found one that reads 6ftlbs and 180ftlbs, so I got both.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075ZVQVSY

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX4ND65

Icon did not exist at the time I bought, so the next level in quality was much much more expensive, and I use these rarely, so I went cheap.

Lowe’s is starting to clearance out some of their Kobalt line. Great deals if you can find them. See this thread. Lowe's torque wrenches on clearance. YMMV 02-16-2019

Also, check the sizing...for spark plugs you need a very low torque wrench, likely a 1/4 wrench will have the torque setting you need for that job.

Regardless of brand you want a torque wrench that has your desired torque in the middle 80% of its range. Affordable is realtive. How affordable is using a cheap torque wrench to torque a spark plug, not have it click and snap off the plug in the engine or worse strip the threads on the engine.

This is one of those items I will never buy the cheapest on. I have a torque wrench for carbon fiber bicycle components/frames calibrated in nm, one for inch pound applications, and one for truck lug nuts. Each will not work for the other and none are the cheapest available.

Not trying to knock buying budget-friendly tools (I'm a tightwad myself) but ask yourself this: When is the last time you pulled a GOOD (pronounced "expensive") tool out of your tool box and said "I wish I had bought a cheaper one than this."?

The day I realized this was the day my rate of tool acquisition dropped but my overall tool quality surged.

I think quite the opposite... I always think, What an awesome deal this tool was, I'm so glad I have this tool vs having paid more for it...or.... this POS tool is crap, (or this tool broke) time to buy the good one after all...

95% of the time, the cheap tool does the job with 99% capability at 10% of the price. Think breaker bar, large sockets, long extensions, beefy ratchets, multimeter, etc. The only tool I purchased better the second time around was my wireless drill and impact driver (and it's a POS but Lithium, so it's held up great) I have busted some adapters doing suspension work, so I got a set of cheap 1/2 sockets for $20. Can do all suspension work no problem with my breaker bar.

A lot of the price of the high end tool is on endurance. How many times will you use that tool? If you make a living, or you use it heavily, yes it's worth it. For a tool I use twice a year...It's hard to justify nicer. $12 for single nice socket, $20 for 10 for cheap 6 sided impacts at HF... Satisfied so far..

When in doubt, I buy it cheap first, and if/when it breaks, or otherwise proves to be a crappy call, only then I buy better. There is some waste to my method, but I think I'm ahead of the alternative.

note to self, always borrow tool from @biglar155 before asking @Beachbummer

(although this will come back to bite me with my policy of "if you break something borrowed, replace it with something higher quality to say thanks)


.

All else being equal @biglar155 will have way nicer tools, but I will have more Sorry we got so far off track.

And here's how the fight between @JeffVans and @Mainah started...If you're using a torque wrench on spark plugs, you're doing it wrong. hahaha

JeffVans said:

And here's how the fight between @JeffVans and @Mainah started...If you're using a torque wrench on spark plugs, you're doing it wrong. hahaha

Click to expand...

No I don’t personally use a torque wrench for plugs. I was trying to make point about how cheap things can cost you more than you paid for them. I really was not trying to start something and just offering my opinion.

That and I am past challening a guy with his kid behind a .30 cal with my own kid behind a .30 cal..... now I bring my wife and her barret too. Actually no barret but in all truth she is finally getting her cwp!!! Not that she needs one with two pointy eared dogs usually leading the way.

Happy wrenching guys and gals.

Pullen724 said:

Looking for the best torque wrench for low torque applications ~ like starting around 10lbs or so.... are there any out there less than $50 that are reliable?

Click to expand...

Picked one up last month at O'Reillys Auto parts. $28 Heavy duty. Then I ordered a lug socket set from amazon.

Mainah said:

.......... I was trying to make point about how cheap things can cost you more than you paid for them.....

Click to expand...

If you are looking to join the dark side of cheap tools this is a big and valid point...All tools can fail at the wrong time, but the cheap ones are much more likely to do so! It's a risk and you have to operate with some care and awareness.It's not a route without risks. If you break the wrong fastener or round off the wrong bolt, it's gonna cost big $$$. I try to buy the cheap tool that looks like it's not going to snap in my hand, but you never know...

May the odds be ever in your favor

Back to torque wrenchs. I bought this one....Tekton has always been a good brand for me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5ZL1NS/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Had it calibrated with a lot of other tools we were sending out at the office. Snuck mine into the pile. Came back certified with no adjustments. Been using it for a few years with excellent results.

Big note here......take excellent care of your calibrated tools. Don't use them as "everyday use" items. Use them for what they are intended for and nothing else. A giant torque wrench is NOT a breaker bar. had to beat a few friends over the nose one day for attempting to use my good wrench as a breaker bar. They don't help with repairs anymore, aside from moral support and beer drinking

Beachbummer said:

All else being equal @biglar155 will have way nicer tools, but I will have more Sorry we got so far off track.

Click to expand...

Oh, don't get me wrong... I'm not buying "Snap On." I'm just avoiding the super-cheap stuff.

Plus, I've reached the point of saturation where I can got back and upgrade some of the garbage I used to by.

One thing I'll caution on is safety: Wrenches that slip suddenly can ruin your day if you're really pulling hard. Low-budget multi-meters may not have the same insulating properties that better units have. Yeah, I've lived with the stuff and made it work too.... Just be aware.

Go to youtube and check out "AvE". This topic is pretty popular with him. He does a lot of tool teardowns to see how they are put together. You really start to understand the difference between a snap-on, a dewalt, and a harbor-freight. He's a millwright/process engineer of some sort (he never tells us exactly what he does nor does he show his face). Very interesting to watch. Be forewarned - he speaks in plain shop-talk so if your sensibilities are easily offended he won't be for you.

He is AWESOME.... I don't know how to spell Chinasium, but I know the exact smell he is talking about!

biglar155 said:

Go to youtube and check out "AvE". This topic is pretty popular with him. He does a lot of tool teardowns to see how they are put together. You really start to understand the difference between a snap-on, a dewalt, and a harbor-freight. He's a millwright/process engineer of some sort (he never tells us exactly what he does nor does he show his face). Very interesting to watch. Be forewarned - he speaks in plain shop-talk so if your sensibilities are easily offended he won't be for you.

Click to expand...

I just want to say thank you for mentioning his channel. Never heard of him. Just watched his a Rigid palm impact driver um sex toy ....video and I'm dying laughing at the shop talk. Right up my alley of enjoyment so thanks again for the mention. He got a new sub

I have three Crafstman torque wrenches of differing sizes in cases that are always zeroed out before storage. They are from the early 2000s. They rarely get used anymore other than the big one to torque lugs. But yes I have torqued spark plugs in the Porsche, Jetta and possibly in the Yamaha as well.